Interlocking seam for stovepipes.



WILLIAM I-I. PRITCI-IARD AND WADE A. TAYLOR, OF NILES, OHIO.

INTERLOCKING SEAIVI FOR STOVEPIPES.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 9, 1915.

Application led July 3, 1914. Serial No. 848,755.

T0 all whom t may concern Beit known that we, VILLIAM H. PRITCH- ARD and WADE A. TAYLOR, citizens of the United States of America, residing at Niles, in the county of Trumbull and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Interlocking Seams for Stovepipes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to interlocking seams for nesting stove pipe sections and has for its object to provide a seam of this nature which will be simple in construction, comparatively inexpensive to make and more eilicient in action than those heretofore proposed.

To these ends the invention consists in the novel details of construction and combinations of parts more fully hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification in which like numerals designate like parts in all the views, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a plurality of nested pipe sections provided with open seams made in accordance with this invention; Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic sectional view of the members of the seam before closing; Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic sectional view of the parts shown in Fig. 2, just before the members are locked in position; and Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3, but showing the parts in their locked postion.

1, 2 and 3 indicate a plurality of nested pipe sections, having their meeting edges 4 and 5 opened out as at 6 in order to facilitate the nesting for shipment. On the edge 4 of each pipe section, we provide a plurality of tongues 7 which are joined to said edge 4 by the angular extensions 8, and on the edge 5 of each pipe we fold back the metal from end to end of the pipe section as indicated at 9. The metal. of said fold 9 is next reversely folded as at 10, leaving a space 11 between the said folds 9 and 10 as will be clear from the drawings. Along the bent edge 12, joining the folds 9 and 10, we provide slits 13 registering with the tongues 7 and of such dimensions as to fit said tongues.

The flat space 11 between the folds 9 and 10 is thicker than the metal of the tongues 7, and of su'flicient thickness to enable the tongues 7 to be readily entered into the slits 13; but after said tongues are thus entered and the parts securely locked the said parts 9 and 10 are mashed down fiat on the tongues 7 and against each other, as will appear below.

The extension 8 may project from the metal of the edge 4 at substantially a right angle, or at an angle somewhat greater than 900, as illustrated, so as to form an abrupt locking shoulder 15 adapted to take behind the innermost edge 17 of the slit 13; while the bend 16 of the metal between the eXtension 8 and tongue 7, affords a rounded surface to facilitate the shoulder 15 snapping into place. The tongue 7, moreover, extends in the direction of a chord of the circle containing the edge 4 of the pipe section, as shown, so that when it enters the space 11 and slit 13 between the folded members 9 and 10, it must be sprung toward the center of said circle as will be clear from Fig. 3. The parts being in the position indicated in said Fig. 3, with all of the tongues 7 eX- tending through the slits 13, upon forcing the said pipe section edges 4 and 5 together, the eXtreme points 18 of the tongues 7 will scrape along the inner wall 19; and owing to the curvature of said wall, will be further sprung inward toward the center of the pipe section, until the locking shoulders reach the slits 13 and spring or snap down past the edges 17 of said slits; whereupon the parts will not only be firmly locked in place, but owing to the contact between the tips 18 of the tongues 7 and the inner wall 19 of the pipe section, the parts will be so firmly held in their locking positions that it will be impossible to unlock them by accident. The security of the seam is further enhanced by meshing down or pressing the folded members 9 and 10 together as illustrated in Fig. 4, so that a snug and solid seam results. This mashing or compressing action may be conveniently accomplished by well known mechanism, or by hand as may be found most convenient.

It will now be clear that sheet metal pipe sections of any kind and especially stove pipes, if provided with the seams above disclosed may be shipped, and in a nested condition, if the seams are opened out; while when said pipes are to be used, the open edges 4 and 5 of said joint, may be readily brought together, the parts snapped into place with the locking shoulders 15 held behind the locking edges 17, and the spring tongue tips 18 will act to hold theparts against unlocking.

It is obvious that those skilled in the art may vary the details of construction as Well as the arrangement of parts Without departing from the spirit of our invention and therefore We do not wish to be limited to the above disclosure except as may be required by the claims.

What We claim is 1. A nesting andfself locking sheet metal pipe section having one of its longitudinal edges provided with an inwardly7 extending locking shoulder and a tongue projecting from said shoulder; and having the other of its longitudinal edges provided on its inside With a pair of oppositely folded members having a space between them and provided with a slit adapted to pass said tongue and locking shoulder, substantially as described.

2. A nesting and self locking sheet metal pipe section having one of its longitudinal edges provided with. a locking shoulder extending invvardly at' an angle from said edge and a tongue projecting at an angle from said shoulder; said section also having its other longitudinal edge provided on its interior With' a folded member and a reversely folded member integral With said first named member and'having a free edge, and saidv folded members provided With a slit adapted to pass said tongue and locking shoulder, substantially as described.

3. A nesting and self locking sheet metal pipe section having one of its longitudinal edges provided with a locking shoulder projectinginwardly from said edge and a tongue integral With said shoulder projecting in the direction of a chord to the circle containing said edge; said section also having its other longitudinal edge provided with a pair of interior folded members l1aving a slit between them adapted to pass said tongue and shoulder, the parts being so proportioned and disposed that when in theirl locking positions said shoulder will engage behind said slit and said tongue will Contact with the interior surface of said second longitudinal edge, substantially as described.

4. A nesting and self locking sheet metal pipe section having one of its longitudinal edges provided with a plurality of spaced resilient locking shoulders, and resilient spring tongues integral with said shoulders; said section also having its other longitudinal edge provided with a pair of concentrically disposed folded and bracing members having a plurality of slits adapted to register with said tongues, and adapted to pass said tongues and locking shoulders when the parts are in their locked positions, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in presence of two Witnesses.

WILLIAM H. PRITCHARD. `WTADE A. TAYLOR.

Witnesses MYRoN C. SUMMERs, H. L. OCoNNnLL.

Copies of this patent may 'be obtained forve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

